Illinois/ mass job losses mostly spare central Illinois

In late January, eight companies announced closings that will affect about 1,900 Illinois workers, and another 192 were laid off by employers who remain in operation, according to the most recent mandatory notices to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Illinois Work Net Center,

This follows closures eliminating 560 jobs reported in December, with 143 jobs lost through layoffs.

In south-central Illinois, Alton Steel Inc. on Jan. 26 abruptly announced to United Steelworkers Local 3643  that the manufacturer is ceasing operations after almost 25 years producing steel in metro St. Louis. More than 250 workers will lose their jobs.

The union last negotiated a contract in 2024.

The employer – which said all 401(k) accounts will remain secure and accessible – cited insurmountable challenges such as aging infrastructure, market competition and industry consolidation as reasons for the closure, according to Riverbender.com.

“Our employees have shown exceptional dedication and skill for more than two decades of production,” said CEO Chris Ervin. “But we’ve reached a point where the fundamental structural challenges cannot be overcome.”

Alton Steel emerged from Laclede Steel Co., which halted operations in 1998 after 87 years of operation. Laclede went bankrupt in 2001 but partnered with former Laclede workers and J&J Ventures to reorganize as Alton Steel in 2003.

Illinois’ Dept. of Labor says Alton Steel violated the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requiring employers with 75 or more full-time employees to provide 60 days' advance notice of plant closures or mass layoffs.

Elsewhere, Amazon Fresh is closing 10 Illinois locations –all in Chicagoland except for one store in Normal –next month, when more than 1,500 employees will lose their jobs. T-Mobile in Schaumburg and Founders Insurance Co. in Des Plaines are laying off 109 and 43 workers, respectively.